PLA Navy starts live-ammunition training in west Pacific
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Chinese military authorities announced Wednesday the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has begun an annual routine live-ammunition training in the East China Sea.
The No. 91765 unit of the Navy's East China Sea Fleet commenced the training off the coast of southeast China's Zhejiang Province Wednesday, a statement released by the Ministry of National Defense said.
The training involves naval vessels shooting targets in China's eight fishery zones that are within China's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The location of the six-day live-ammunition training is the area between North Latitude 29.54 degrees and 28.25 degrees, East Longitude 122.14 and 123.30.
The training will last from midnight to 18:00 (1000GMT) until July 5, the statement said.
Vessels are prohibited from entering the fishery zones during the live-ammunition training and must obey the instructions of the Navy ships, it said.
China recognizes 12-nautical-mile-wide territorial waters and regards the 200-nautical-mile-wide EEZ under its jurisdiction in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
"The PLA always publicizes a notice when it conducts live-ammunition training in waters under China's jurisdiction to ensure aircraft and vessels pass safely," a spokesman with the ministry told Xinhua.
The training has nothing to do with the upcoming joint exercises between the United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) in the Yellow Sea on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the official said.
"It's annual and routine live-ammunition training," the official said, denying any connection with the planned U.S.-ROK exercises, in which the United States is considering sending its nuclear-powered super aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, to participate.
"The PLA's live-ammunition training is always conducted in line with the troops' annual training plan," said Professor Tan Kaijia at the PLA's National Defense University.
The training in the East China Sea was scheduled nearly six months ago and its exact timing depended on weather and other nautical conditions, Tan said.
Chinese websites and BBS forums have been flooded with furious criticism of the upcoming U.S.-ROK war games.
Many of the Internet users are unhappy with the prospect of the U.S. forward-deployed super aircraft carrier entering the Yellow Sea, which would bring the Chinese capital, Beijing, within its striking distance.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang has said China is "seriously concerned" over reports a U.S. aircraft carrier may participate in the war games.
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